San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1887-08-25
LOS ANGELES.
Cor. Richmond Ind, Telegram.
Los ANGELES, July 10th, 1887.

lucterlStlc name 10 tniS pi'tcc ~ Wouiu
not have been the "City ef the
Angels" The "City of the Wooden
Toothpicks" would have suggested
itself first, for every third person one
meets is chewing one. The "City ol
the Boom" would be appropriate, OF
of the "Real Estate Transfer" fol
you may be quite sure that at least
two thirds of tho toothpick chewers
have it in their minds to buy or sell,
and whichever it is, to grow sudden
ly opulent from the transfer.
This city, like another City of the
Angels lieth four-square. Mindful o.
the old womans advice in the "Hoo'
sier School Master" they 'got q
plenty while they were glttin," and
the town is six miles long and wide
The plan has its advantages, as every
one prefers town lot to any Other
investment. Whether or not there
is an arrangement by which they are
all corners, 1 don't know. If such a
one can be made, it is certain Los
Angeles will make it. Some OF the
advertisements are funny, though l
don't think they are meant to be-
Here is an extract from one: "Where
is Rosecans Is it miles away in
the sage brush and rocks where the
horned toad frisks after the paper
town man, or is it hid away back ir
some gully unknown to civilization
Mol" Then follows description ol
lis location, which is set forth rs be-
hardly less. desirable that of Para
disc.
Another offers o reward for the
conviction of any person who says he
has been locating persons upon rocks
and hills. AS, taking the State to-
gether, desert and mountains all in
cluded, there is great preponder-
ance of sage brush and stones, jack
rabbits, dust and horned toads, the
temptation to speculate in them is
great, and q corresponding vigilance
on the part of the purchaser neces
sary.
"Your streets are poorly paved,
the dust is inches thick, the street
cars are dirty, shops dingy and un.
tidy, restaurants poor; it's all mp and
pown hill Just compare this street
the whole place, with Richmond.
remarked mildly but forcibly to one
of the angels. "Ah, yes" he replied
with the amiability supposed to be
characteristic of his class, "but those
things will all come right, and then
we have climate !" That is the one
word with which every Californian
by birth or adoption finishes you and
your argument together. CA very
apropos sneeze right here warned
me that l had grown chilly while
writing--at IL ". m, July 17th
Having wrapped myself up l proceed
Climate is his fetich-he worships it,,
often I regret to say to the exclusion
of every other object Of devotion. 1t
is his password, his talisman-above
ali' as L have said, his extinguisher
And indeed when see reported from
Cincinnati, "July 18th, temperature
go to 80 . in the shade and twelve
cases of sunstroke," and in the same
paper "maximnm temperature at Los
Angeles, IA o minimum 62 ., [ do
not wonder at the prejudice in favor
of this "climate. Especially when
it is remembered that the noxt win
ter when the report comes, "Cincin-
natl, 100, 15o below zero," the
reading here will be CO. or G50
above.
Ingersoll says something like this I:
"In climate where, nine months in
the year man may sleep on the ground
with but Blanket for covering, and
the remaining three months needs
but light umbrella or tent for pro-
lection against rain, the moral and
physical decadosce of the race is in
evitab!e.'
Taking Los Angeles simply as an
illustration. L think it is safe asser-.
ton to make that there are hun
dred men here whose wives support
them by keeping lodging house or
restaurants or in some other way,
where one can be found in an East
ern city. Often they come here in
tending honestly enough to find
work. They can't find it usually,
and tbev do find it the easiest thing
I'M the world to stand on the street
corners 0nd "tell and hear some new
thing about the "boom' that is now
in progress. If they have a little
capital they speculate What is
is there IN speculation u make ''brain
and brawn7" Nothing. Aud bnt
for the constant (at presently infux
OF Eastern enterprise aud capital. the
collapse Of this section would be
within a decide. When that ceases
when the halt is called, rs it is
sure to be, and this country is thrown
again upon itself. the very lack Of
that unfavSing energy which is born
Of constant resistance 10 disadvan-
tages Of ''clinate" will be the cause
OF The downfall OF many Of the bright
hopes which are building upon the
foundation Of this charming climate
and fertile soil At least so say the
prophets and they are prophets who
have lived here and learned these
things from long and close stlIy Of
TIE character AMI Labits oi The peo-
pie ID
Tbeolare Tilton is living 10 prs.